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Scanlan thinks she missed final, wins gold

Nathan Paull

Gold medallist Laetisha Scanlan was packing away her gun, thinking her Commonwealth Games were over after being told she didn't make it through to the women's trap semi-final.

But when her coach realised his mistake, the 24-year-old snapped back into competition mode, outperforming Indian shooter Shreyasi Singh in a shoot-off for the last spot in the semi-final before coming from behind to win the gold.

Bubbly Scanlan said it was a mistake that might have helped her to victory on the Games range at Carnoustie on Monday.

"I just had no pressure on me because I was going in last, I was the underdog," she told AAP.

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"I just stuck my head down and really worked at it and made the gold medal match."

Scanlan came from behind to hit 13 out of 15 targets in the gold final, beating Georgia Konstantinidou of Cyprus, who hit 12.

England's Caroline Povey claimed bronze.

Fellow Aussie Catherine Skinner, also 24, was first after qualification, but lost a three-way shoot-off after the semi-finals to miss a spot in the bronze medal match.

Scanlan, who has just finished a journalism degree, said her family has supported her throughout the past year as she travelled the world to take part in elite competitions.

Having also won last year's ISSF World Cup trap event in the United Arab Emirates, Scanlan insisted the hard work and travel was worth it.

"You put so much work into training and sacrificing things that normal 24-year-old girls would do and it pays off, so I'm really happy," she said.

"In my teenage years I definitely didn't get to party like the rest of my friends.

"It was a lot of Saturdays and Sundays at the range."

Scanlan said while she was thrilled her mum and dad were at the range to see her victory, her uncle, Alan Morrissey, had recently passed away unexpectedly.

"So I think he helped me out a bit," she said.

The win brings Scanlan's Commonwealth gold medal tally to two after winning the team trap competition in Delhi 2010.